So when Dark Awakening made the top 9% of sales in its category, I counted this as a major win and one that would move me closer to my goal of making the USA or New York Times Best Seller list. And, in true pay-it-forward fashion, I am only too happy to pass along what I did (and what I learned).

But balancing a full-time job, part-time teaching job, family, a move, new home, etc., also meant I had limited time. (Whew! I’m exhausted just writing all this!)

However, as a marketer, I know there are many fantastic tools out there to help streamline my efforts and help me reach my goals. As such, I selected Crowdfire and Hootsuite to help me with my social media efforts. The other thing I did was to set aside time every day to build my audience, write content and schedule posts. This was key. While my outreach grew slowly at first, the efforts later became like a snowball, growing bigger with continued exposure and effort. At this point, my efforts became almost addictive and the increased reach (and sales!) encouraged me to keep going. So my advice to you is don’t stop! You need to continue to build your audience and reach if you want to sell more books. (Of course, you also need to have a solid understanding of who your target audience is, otherwise you are simply adding the wrong people).

Get your side hustle on because you will need money for marketing

I’d love to tell you that I made it to the top 9% position without investing anything in marketing, but sadly, that isn’t the case. While my organic efforts are strong drivers, paid advertising helps supplement those efforts and allows me greater reach than my organic efforts alone would produce. I started slowly at first, and I never spend more than my allotted budget.

So where did I find extra money to spend on advertising and marketing? I teach graduate level marketing courses through the University of Phoenix in the evenings which funds my advertising, design and marketing efforts. I pour nearly every bit of money I make back into advertising and marketing. When I supplement organic efforts with paid efforts, the amount of web traffic triples and sales of my books increase. The point is to find a money-making endeavor you can do in your spare time to fund your book marketing efforts.

Teaching works really well for me because I can select when I am available and take only the teaching contracts that fit into my schedule. This allows me plenty of time between assignments to focus on writing and marketing Dark Awakening and Dark Gathering.

If you don’t have a marketing background or need help marketing your book, consider using services like Guru or Fiverr to help you get your marketing off the ground. Services like MKS Solutions can also help tailor a custom marketing plan for your book and even provide coaching services for the DIY author.

Be sure to track and measure your efforts

Someone once told me, “If it’s measured, it’s managed.” This mantra has served me well in marketing and is applicable in romance book marketing as well!

So if your author site is not yet connected to Google Analytics (or another built-in web traffic analytics tool), you need to get that done. ASAP. Waiting to see your quarterly royalty reports to see how many books you’ve sold means you’ve wasted valuable time that you could have spent refining marketing efforts. Also, by waiting until your quarterly royalty report comes out, you may not understand which of your marketing efforts led to the increase in sales.

For those of you with a book publisher, you may not have a choice but to wait. If this is your case, be sure to map the dates of your marketing efforts to sales of your book. While not a perfect measurement, this will directionally tell you if your efforts are producing results.

For indie authors, the ability to track and measure all the way from web traffic to sales is much easier since you have visibility into your sales through the Amazon KDP platform. Be sure you are logging in at least once a week to track sales. If one of your marketing channels isn’t producing book sales, don’t waste time (or money) on it. Move on to another channel or consider testing a different message or creative concept. Sometimes it’s not the channel that isn’t working, but rather the offer, message or creative output. And keep in mind that what works in one marketing channel doesn’t always work in another. Test, test, test!

What’s working for your romance book marketing efforts? Drop me a line below. I love hearing about new ideas or celebrating with fellow authors who’ve found a winning combination.

]]>https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2018/02/11/how-dark-awakening-made-the-top-9-in-amazon-sales-in-its-category-without-a-big-marketing-budget/feed/430244 Reasons Why the Whole30 Diet Doesn’t Workhttps://karlenecameronbooks.com/2018/02/02/4-reasons-why-the-whole30-diet-doesnt-work/
https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2018/02/02/4-reasons-why-the-whole30-diet-doesnt-work/#commentsFri, 02 Feb 2018 18:43:35 +0000http://karlenecameronbooks.com/?p=3037For a few years now, my husband and I have dedicated January as “Sober January.” Apparently, we’re not alone. Over 5 million people take part in “Dry January!” I guess we’re not the only ones who want to give their liver a holiday!

This year, we upped the stakes and decided to expand “Sober January” to “Live Well January” and embark on a Whole30 diet to cleanse our systems and begin to take off some of those unwanted holiday pounds.

So, with good intentions in hand, we rid our house of all the deliciousness (and poison) that crept in during the holidays. I’ll admit I was skeptical, especially when my creamer and the butter headed for the trash, but I promised my husband I’d commit to it with him. So there I sat, staring at a nearly empty pantry and fridge now bursting with produce and vegetables.

How boring.

You know what would go great with Lemongrass Chicken Bok Choy? A nice bottle of sauvignon blanc…sigh…

My husband ordered a Whole30 Cookbook online and I poured through the book the first day, trying to find a recipe where I’d heard of at least half the ingredients, and that didn’t span two pages. After all, my cooking skills are rudimentary at best (hence why I have a sign in my kitchen that says, “I kiss better than I cook.”). I finally settled on four main dinners that seemed possible. I made our grocery list and we took off for the store(s). (Yes, I said ‘stores’…plural).

And this is where it all started to go south and why I’m convinced the Whole30 diet came in near the bottom on USN’s best diets of 2018.

Whole30 takes expensive to a whole other level

Nevermind that I’d never heard of several of the ingredients and staples we were asked to buy, but the prices were absurd! Apparently, squeezing sugar out of your favorite foods is not cheap! Not only were several of the ingredients difficult to find, but catsup suddenly jumped to $10 a bottle and bacon was nearly $20 for 1.5 lbs. (Try finding bacon that hasn’t been cured in sugar!).

Not only were we spending more at the grocery store, but we also found ourselves visiting multiple stores to find what we needed. We started with Whole Foods, then moved to Trader Joe’s and finally finished off our list at Natural Grocers. The whole process was exhausting and consumed far too much of our valuable weekend time!

My parting thought: If you want to be on this diet, you will need to ask for a raise or win the lottery!

Physical energy never did peak

One of the reasons we selected Whole30 was to give our bodies a reset. Many advocates of the diet state how much energy they gain and how much better they feel. I never did feel an increase in energy and while I do think I felt healthier (maybe it’s nothing more than suggestive thought), I don’t think I felt any different than I did on Weight Watchers or any other diet plan for that matter.

While my husband said he felt like he had more energy, the food caused him stomach issues (as it did me). By day 13, we both hit a wall. Nothing we were eating was very satisfying. It all felt like a variation on tomatoes and meat. (Put a pig in lipstick, it is still a pig!)

On top of that, I was having severe stomach pains.

One plus is that the hot flashes I’d been having were nearly non-existent. Since I’d read that sugar, caffeine and alcohol can make hot flashes worse, I can only assume the absence of sugar and alcohol had a lot to do with this. (I will NEVER give up coffee!)

My parting thought: Find the dietary foods that help you feel the best. Just because someone says you should feel good, doesn’t mean you will.

Never saw any significant weight loss

With rafting season five short months away, I know I have to start now if I’m going to lose the holiday weight (and then some!). If there’s one thing I’ve learned on our week-long wilderness raft trips … you’d better be in shape; it’s hard work.

After 2 weeks on Whole30, I had lost only 1.4 lbs. Now some of you may be saying that’s not so bad, but in comparison to Weight Watchers, the results were appalling.

I know – those of you who swear by the Whole30 diet are rolling your eyes and saying it’s not a weight loss plan, but let’s face it, if you eat like a rabbit for a month, you expect to see something for your sacrifice!

Whole30 is Too Restrictive

I only made it 16 days on the Whole30 before I crumbled like the Berlin Wall. (Creamer in my coffee never tasted so good!).

Between the lengthy grocery trips to find obscure items and the restrictions against dairy and grains, I felt that I was being exiled to the Island of Blah. I think it’s one of the reasons DASH and Weight Watchers are so popular. Rather than restricting what you can eat, they simply help you stay within your daily allowance of servings or points. Win, win for those of us who enjoy eating and dining out!

My parting thought: For this busy sci-fi romance writer, the Whole30 Diet simply didn’t work. I’ve since switched to Weight Watchers Freestyle and the weight is coming off. I’m eating the foods I love (in moderation), and I’m getting active once again. The point is this…if you find something that works for you, something you can stick with regardless of what life throws at you, then you’ve got a keeper. Don’t stop despite what the pundits might tell you.

What weight loss program has been your favorite? Do you find it easy or hard to stay committed? Drop me a line below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

]]>https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2018/02/02/4-reasons-why-the-whole30-diet-doesnt-work/feed/230373 Reasons Why You Need to Leave Your Favorite Author a Glowing Reviewhttps://karlenecameronbooks.com/2018/01/24/3-reasons-why-you-need-to-leave-your-favorite-author-a-glowing-review/
https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2018/01/24/3-reasons-why-you-need-to-leave-your-favorite-author-a-glowing-review/#commentsWed, 24 Jan 2018 18:21:52 +0000http://karlenecameronbooks.com/?p=3038You’ve read a beautiful romance novel that left you with goosebumps and now you’re hopeful you can find something just like it. But before you move on to the next book in the series or another author and book, there’s something you need to do…

Make sure you leave a glowing book review. Whether it’s on Goodreads, Amazon or you have a blog where you review products and books, you want to write a few words about the author. Make it clear why you loved the book, why you want more and what it was that drew you in from the very beginning.

It doesn’t matter if you’re reading a cozy mystery or inspiring sci-fi romance. Leaving a glowing book review is essential. Here are three reasons to do it right now.

You Help Spread the Word

More authors than ever are going the independent publishing route. This means they don’t have the backing of a big publishing house. It’s great for them and you, because more books are making it to the internet. There’s more choice with more affordable options for readers. Many of these self-published books become well-known household names and can eventually be picked up by publications.

But the authors need your help.

While there are many great authors out there, self-publishing also means a lot of mediocre and poor writers put their books out into the digital newsstand. Suddenly, your favorite author is hidden underneath the clutter and it’s harder for other people to find out about them. It’s harder for the big publishing houses to learn about them.

So, they need you to leave glowing reviews. Get the word out there about the book titles and author names to look out for. Your reviews will help other readers learn about the authors and decide whether a book is worth buying.

Tell Amazon to Promote Titles

The more reviews a book gets on Amazon, the more promotion that book receives. Authors with a lot of reviews will be put first in the search results, highlighted in the newsletter and more. They become the most popular romance novels and are pushed to you as recommended options based on your previous reads.

You want to make sure your favorite author gets that treatment. While a particular sci-fi romance is your favorite, others may not have heard of it. With glowing reviews on Amazon, you tell the marketplace to push that particular novel to other people. You ensure it is considered for a place on the highlights and recommendations.

This then helps the author become a household name. And, of course you help boost the chances of reason #1!

Higher Chance of National Recognition

Many authors will tell you that they just wanted to get their book written. They wanted one person to read it and they would be happy. But that’s really not the case. Authors want to know that people love their books and book reviews tell them that.

But that’s not all! The book reviews also help others find them—and by others, I mean promotional services, movie agents and more. With the right eyes, a book can be turned into a movie or TV show. Think of the likes of Fifty Shades of Grey, Outlander, Game of Thrones and Twilight. Many of these authors were unknown until people started leaving glowing book reviews on the likes of Amazon and Goodreads.

As the books grew in popularity, networks and movie production houses realized there was a story to tell. If it wasn’t for the reviews, they would have never heard of some of the authors or book names. You help your favorite authors get the recognition you know they deserve.

Even if the books aren’t turned into movies, your authors will be spotted by promotional services. Your favorite romance novel can then be pushed out through billboards and featured in newspapers and magazines. That author will then have more money and confidence to write a sequel, a trilogy or try that out-of-this-world sci-fi romance novel they’ve always wanted to write. You get more from your favorite author all because of your glowing book review.

And here comes my author pitch…

Before you pick up Dark Gathering, consider leaving a review for Dark Awakening. Or better yet, if you’ve read them both, please consider writing a review for each. The book review doesn’t have to be long — a simple “Great book” or “I like this!” will do the trick! And trust me when I say I rely on your reviews to sell more books and gain more recognition.

Do you love romance novels? If so, you’re certainly not alone. According to Romance Writers of America, the romance novel industry is a $1.08 billion dollar business. So while you may not want to admit it publicly, your internal swooning at the thought of love at first sight is obviously shared by millions of romance novel readers across the world. And, if you simply can’t get enough of the romantic gestures of the perfect man or the way your heart flutters at the way women are treated, the good news is that it doesn’t look like romance novels are going away anytime soon.

So how can you tell if you (or your friends) are a romance novel enthusiast? I’ve outlined three sure-fire ways to know if you’re hooked on the breath-taking, heart-stopping books for life.

1. You can recite nearly every romantic line in Fifty Shades of Grey but pretend you’ve never heard of the book when your friends ask if you’ve read it.

Fifty Shades of Grey is an erotic romance novel series that almost every true romance enthusiast has read. However, you’ll be hard pressed to find very many who will admit it. After all, admitting to your friends that you’ve read the book would mean openly admitting to your love of romance novels.

But you know every single line in the series. You gasp in the same way as Anastasia, feel your legs quiver at the thought of Christian with his whip, and long to find a man just like him (mega millions included!). If anyone tested you on your knowledge, you’d tell them the exact chapter and page number of phrases, quotes the characters have said or just elements of erotic description. (Ooh-la-la!)

Yet, if your friends ever ask you about the book series, you outwardly deny it. You’ve probably even taken steps to hide the romance novel series from your bookshelf — or better yet, relegated that series to your trusty Kindle. Which leads me to point number two…

2. Your digital library is filled with more romance titles than your local public library.

Any hardcore romance novel enthusiast will tell you the best invention was the Kindle! No longer do they have to hide the racy-looking covers romance novels are known for! With the Kindle or Nook, a true romance enthusiast can indulge in their favorite romance novel without the sideways glances their friends, colleagues, pastor and mother are likely to give.

So just how many romance novels do you have on your digital reader? If you’re a serious romance enthusiast, you can most likely start your own public library with them! But you won’t bother with that. Those romance novels are on your digital device for one reason only: to stop the snoops from looking through your collection and passing judgement!

3. Your budget for romance novels exceeds your monthly grocery bill.

Be honest with yourself about the amount you spend on the steal-your-breath romance novels you love. According to Romance Writers of America, 64% of romance readers read one romance novel a month; 35% will read two a month, depending on the speed in which they read. So where do you fall in those statistics? Are you the hard-core romance enthusiast who tops two a month? Or do you spend more money on romance novels than your food for the month? If you’re anything like me and you had to choose between books or food, you’d prefer to opt for the romance novels first. After all, they are the life force of your being. They emotionally satisfy you better than food. Now, if only they would physically satisfy those hunger cravings…

So what do you think? Are you a closet romance novel enthusiast? Be honest with yourself and own that secret title until you are ready for others to know. And until then, enjoy every sci fi romance and erotic fiction that comes your way.

]]>https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/12/14/3-ways-you-know-youre-a-closet-romance-novel-enthusiast/feed/12725Love Romance Books? Why Dark Awakening and Dark Gathering Won’t Disappointhttps://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/10/07/love-romance-books-why-dark-awakening-and-dark-gathering-wont-disappoint/
https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/10/07/love-romance-books-why-dark-awakening-and-dark-gathering-wont-disappoint/#commentsSat, 07 Oct 2017 02:54:28 +0000http://karlenecameronbooks.com/?p=2277My stepmother introduced me to romance novels at the ripe young age of 13. I still remember my first novel–Ashes in the Wind– by Kathleen Woodiwiss. I was captivated by the beautiful heroine, strong, brave hero and the fascinating story line.

I read the book cover to cover in a week. And I was hooked. I read everything by Ms Woodiwiss that I could get my hands on. When I finished with her books I moved on to Shirlee Busbee and the rest is history.

While I was most captivated by historical romance, as I grew older I started to develop a fondness for romantic sci-fi. In fact, anything with a paranormal twist easily captured my attention. The more sups (sci-fi lingo for supernaturals), the better. And, of course, anything that combined elements of magic won, hands down.

It’s no wonder then, that the first novel I wrote was a romantic sci-fi with plenty of magic tossed in. The sci-fi enthusiast in me finally found a way to express the ‘what-if’ ideas swirling in my head, while the hopeless romantic in me, brought Dark Awakening’s characters to life in make-you-swoon moments reminiscent of the romantic greats!

And while romance novels account for a 1.5 billion dollar industry, marketing a sci-fi romance book isn’t easy! Most consumers who read sci-fi books shy away from romance, and women who are die-hard romantics find it difficult to immerse themselves in a world of fantasy (and not the erotic kind!).

Nevertheless, Dark Awakening adeptly brings both worlds together giving readers all the steal-your-breath romantic moments romance enthusiasts crave while staying true to a dystopian world of magic and conspiracy.

Portal fantasy and time travel

One of the things that makes romance books like Outlander, A Discovery of Witches and Beyond the Highland Mist so popular is the fact that they transport us into another time or another world. Dark Awakening and Dark Gathering don’t disappoint in this regard, taking readers to the 23rd century and a dystopian world of magic and dictatorship.

If you’re at all familiar with the Georgia Guidestones, the premise behind Dark Awakening will seem familiar: genetic engineering allows the government to control the population and weed out undesirable characteristics. The result is a Utopian society that has lost all sense of individuality and humanity and instead, works to further the New World Order’s twisted repressive agenda. And, if there’s one thing history has taught us, those in power don’t give it up so easily; and those with little to no freedom don’t tolerate rigid control for long.

Likable, believable characters that tug at your heart

At it’s heart, Dark Awakening is a romance story, seeped in tradition, fantasy and war. It’s a love story between two people who never should have fallen in love and yet they do. It’s a story that spans time–that shows how the basic human notions of love, freedom and personal growth and achievement don’t dissipate with time or diminish in conflict, but grow stronger as a result of these challenges and changes.

Dark Gathering continues this exploration and highlights the complexities of love, showing how difficult it can be to marry one’s feelings with a sense of duty and obligation. In Dark Gathering, Caitriona Sinclair loses her memory and as a result, her memory of Duncan MacKinnon and the relationship they were building all but disappear in the blink of an eye. Yet despite this loss, Caittriona’s soul recognizes Duncan’s and it’s this soul-connection that helps her find herself and fulfill her duty to Duncan’s war.

Believable beginnings

There’s nothing worse than reading a novel where you’re asked to make too much of a leap into a fantasy world. While Dark Awakening takes place in a dystopian future, the events leading to that time period are steeped in current political and religious underpinnings that easily transport you to the 23rd century.

One Amazon reviewer said it best, “I usually am not a sci-fi fan as the plots can be so preposterous, but this one is so close to what could happen that it’s very believable, almost eerily so! The story pulls you in and you feel the bond developing between the characters. Found myself reading well into the night! I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!” — Stephanie Collins

Magic

One of my favorite fantasy series is Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth books. While Richard and Kahlan battle evil, their magical gifts grow in power with every book. The result is a journey of both personal discovery and an exploration and development of their powers. And the combination makes for a very entertaining read!

In Dark Awakening, Caitriona Sinclair begins her journey with an understanding and awareness of a very simple visionary gift she inherited. As she begins to tap into her power, she soon realizes that her ability to see future events is only the tip of the iceberg–that her powers go well beyond this one skill. By the time readers jump into Dark Gathering, Caitriona begins to develop these other, latent abilities, bringing readers along in our heroines journey of self discovery and growth.

Through it all, Caitriona struggles between holding on to the 21st century, power-executive career woman she once was with the very powerful woman she is becoming.

What do you like in a romance novel? Drop me a line below–I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Dark Awakening and Dark Gathering are available in paperback and digital formats. Dark Storm, the final book in the Dark World trilogy will be available in the fall of 2018.

Dark Awakening, by Karlene Cameron. Available in print and digital format.Now available in paperback and digital format.
]]>https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/10/07/love-romance-books-why-dark-awakening-and-dark-gathering-wont-disappoint/feed/32277Introducing Dark Gathering, Book 2 of the Dark World trilogyhttps://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/10/06/introducing-dark-gathering-book-2-of-the-dark-world-trilogy/
https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/10/06/introducing-dark-gathering-book-2-of-the-dark-world-trilogy/#respondFri, 06 Oct 2017 08:28:51 +0000http://karlenecameronbooks.com/?p=2973It’s been a little over a year since Dark Awakening, my first novel, was released. At the time, I didn’t think anything could replace the joy, excitement, nervousness and hope that came from the release of that first novel.

But the release of my second novel, Dark Gathering, has brought back that euphoric rush — and amplified it, if that’s even possible. It’s exciting, nerve-wracking and surreal all at the same time. There is almost nothing greater than getting that first proof copy that signals the book’s release is just around the corner. And while the very act of releasing a new novel is exciting, I want to take a moment and thank some very special people who help make all this possible.

Special thanks…

For all of my writer friends, authors and aspiring authors, thank you. Your encouragement, tweets, social love, engagement and help have been a source of inspiration, fuel for the writing fire, and also a good kick in the pants when I’ve needed it. You all are such an amazing community of talent that understands the highs and lows associated with our craft.

For my family, thanks for hanging in there with me. For providing words of encouragement, for reading MANY drafts, spotting the plot bunnies and areas that just don’t make sense. Thanks for listening to me rattle on about character development, time traveling and other writing nonsense…and still loving me despite all the crazy talk!

For my long-time friends, I love that I can count on you. Whether it’s weighing in on a chapter or the entire book, your encouragement and support have been at the heart of my creative drive.

And to all of my readers, you really are the best! I love the reviews, blog comments, social shares and interaction you give on a daily basis. Your enthusiasm and excitement for the Dark World trilogy is what keeps me going. And for those of you holding out hope for a movie…I’m right there with ya!

Introducing Dark Gathering

Now available in paperback and digital format.

He’ll gather his armies. She’ll wage the war.

Caitriona Sinclair and Duncan MacKinnon won the battle to save mankind…or so they thought. But the tyrannical leader of the New World Order, Brady Hawkins, is alive…and set on revenge.

Now, Caitriona finds herself in a fierce tug-of-war between duty and love where she’ll be forced to betray the man she loves or save humanity. But when a serendipitous accident leaves Caitriona alone and unaware of who she is and the special powers she has that can end the war and unite them all, the race is on for Duncan MacKinnon to find the gifted Seer, restore her memories and keep her out of the Order’s deadly clutches.

From the beautiful and rugged Mexican desert, to the historic monuments and buildings of Washington DC., Caitriona Sinclair finds herself in a desperate race to remember who she is and stop the New World Order from eviscerating the world of magic forever.

Now available in paperback and digital format.
]]>https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/10/06/introducing-dark-gathering-book-2-of-the-dark-world-trilogy/feed/02973Get a Sneak Peek at the Highly Anticipated Sequel to Dark Awakeninghttps://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/09/12/get-a-sneak-peek-at-the-highly-anticipated-sequel-to-dark-awakening/
https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/09/12/get-a-sneak-peek-at-the-highly-anticipated-sequel-to-dark-awakening/#respondTue, 12 Sep 2017 15:34:38 +0000http://karlenecameronbooks.com/?p=2903

Chapter 1

Scotland, November 2, 2212

“If I didn’t learn to use a gun in my century, what makes you think I’m going to learn to use one in yours?” Caitriona Sinclair quipped at the hulk of a man who stood before her. She exhaled, blowing an errant red-brown curl from her eyes and watching as her breath reflected the cold November day. Her deep, emerald green eyes met his hard grey ones without backing down. After all, she knew he would win in the end. He always did. As if reading her mind, he placed two fingers under her elbow and pushed her arm up so that it was parallel to the ground.

“Again,” he growled.

Caitriona sighed and cocked her head to the right, holding her breath to steady her hands. In all the many ways she had imagined her life, she never thought she would be staring down the sights of a next-gen gun, preparing to defend herself against 23rd century enemies. Only a few months ago she had been a successful marketing executive at one of the largest advertising agencies on the West Coast. But, Commander Duncan MacKinnon, leader of the 23rd century Templars, had other plans for her. His century’s scientists had discovered a genetic link to magic that had prompted him to travel to 21st century Earth to bring her—and her gift of sight—into his centuries old war. Of Jesus’ Merovingian bloodline, she knew her gift was powerful and essential in helping the vastly outnumbered Templars shake off the shackles of oppression and win the freedom of those they sought so valiantly to protect. Although she was trying hard to fit into this new world, their very ideals and ideology were vastly foreign and confusing to her.

“Yer not concentrating, lass,” Duncan admonished her as he wrapped his gloved hands over hers and leveled the red laser on her target. She squeezed the trigger softly, the tug of the weapon pulling her hand sharply to the right as the particle laser fire was released in a short blast of pure destruction. Fifty yards in front of her, a rock exploded in a burst of rubble that sent a shower of shrapnel into the air. The target Duncan had set up earlier remained upright, mocking her wretched attempts. Caitriona sighed again and lowered the weapon.

“I’m just not any good at this,” she said petulantly, wincing as she saw the storm brewing beneath the surface of his hardened features. She knew Duncan was concerned about her safety, given her most recent vision that the leader of the New World Order, Brady Hawkins, still lived. Only a few months earlier, the maniacal leader had kidnapped her, tortured, and nearly raped her. Had it not been for Duncan’s steely determination to get her back, she would likely have died at the hands of the notorious monster. A battle—born of that insidious night—had brought Hawkins to his knees with a deadly knife to his temple. Or so they all thought. Caitriona’s latest vision said otherwise.

“Steady,” he growled, pressing the chamber button that charged the weapon. He gently wrapped her hand around the next-gen gun, the contact between them instantly igniting, even through the sheepskin warmth of their gloves. She felt the familiar electrical current that sparked to life whenever the warrior was near. It was almost painful to stand so close to him. And she didn’t miss the way his body reacted to their contact, either. But, if the energy that surrounded them affected him emotionally, he didn’t give any indication. And, if she was being honest, the energy and connection they shared hadn’t been nearly as powerful since she’d bonded with her handler, Nicolas LaFelle. But at least it’s back, she thought wryly, remembering how despondent she had been for weeks after the bonding ceremony when she’d first noticed the connection between her and Duncan had disappeared.

“Duncan, we’ve been at this for several hours already,” she said, trying for diplomacy. “I’m exhausted and I’m hungry. Can’t we stop for the day? I promise I will be more focused tomorrow.”

“Nay,” he growled, closing her fingers around the weapon and removing his hand so that she was forced to feel the weight and bulk of the weapon in her small hand. She wondered if he was trying to reduce the contact between them. It was almost painful—in an unsated way—the way their bodies craved each other.

She sighed knowing it was useless to argue with him. He was driven in his single-minded pursuit of Brady Hawkins, and his dedication to his mission: to give all men and women the right to live their lives free of persecution and tyranny. For two centuries, the New World Order engineered natural disasters and committed genocide to reduce the planet’s population to what the Order conceded was a manageable size. Using the church to persecute and control the masses, they created a two-tier society of genetic superiors and those who served them. Freedom fighters eventually emerged to lead a rebellion against genetic perfection. But this wasn’t Caitriona’s battle. And this wasn’t her fight. She had been brought here—against her will—to play a role in a war that she neither understood, nor could control. And Duncan was hell bent on making sure she upheld her end of his plan.

Caitriona once again raised the weapon to her eye, using her right hand to help steady her left. Duncan slipped behind her, his hand once again covering hers. At his touch, a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she felt the familiar charge between them. The energy fairly crackled off Caitriona’s body until the un-satiated need hurt. She sighed. Everything about him was unbearable and yet the only relief she ever knew was through him.

“Concentrate,” he whispered, his breath teasing the soft hairs on her neck.

“You’re making that quite impossible,” she said huskily.

Chuckling, Duncan stepped away from her, watching as she sighted her target and pulled the trigger. This time, her target neatly disintegrated from the accuracy and force of the blast, sending debris and smoke settling in its place.

Caitriona squealed in delight and turned to find Duncan staring at her, a huge grin splayed across his face.

“Well done,” he said, pulling her into his arms and kissing the top of her head through her stocking hat. She set the weapon on the preparation table and leaned into him, relishing the feel of his hard muscles beneath her hands. They stayed like that for several minutes, neither saying anything to the other. He didn’t have to. Caitriona knew how he felt about her, but his loyalties were with his people and his mission.

“I want ye tae be happy here, Leannan,” he said, breaking the silence. She nuzzled against him, smiling as he used the Celtic term for lover when addressing her. “I ken this isna what ye wanted. Goddess, it’s nae even what I wanted,” he murmured, his grey eyes locking once again with her emerald green ones. She knew he was referring to the fact that to save her life, she’d had to bond emotionally with another man, an empath who could absorb the unused energy she harnessed after she received a vision. It was also a bond that could not be severed.

“That’s what I’m afraid of Duncan. I’m afraid that with you I can be truly happy but at what price?” She traced the hardness of his muscles through his buckskin shirt that was tied loosely at his neck. He preferred the casual, hunting clothes over the military outfits he was forced to wear as befitting his station.

Duncan continued to hold her against him, the back of his knuckles brushing her cheek.
“I’m not even sure I should be this happy,” she continued. “Or that I always will be,” she murmured. “With us everything is so complicated.” The unspoken words rested between them.

While Caitriona had never shared a physical intimacy with her handler, Nicolas LaFelle, her feelings for him were complicated by the emotional bond they shared. She genuinely cared for Nicolas and often felt conflicted about her destiny with the handsome young empath who, on more than one occasion, had openly professed his love for her. To complicate matters, he had saved her life, channeling her unused energies so that she could perform her allotted role as Seer in the Templars’ struggle against the Order’s autocracy. Without him, the energy would have consumed and killed her. She owed him her life.

Duncan nuzzled Caitriona, effectively breaking her melancholy thoughts. She stared into his smoky grey eyes and saw her reflection mirrored in them. She watched as he ran a hand through the thick black hair that fell seductively over his shoulders, the soft curls mocking his attempts to keep them at bay. At 6’7” he was imposing to most men. His arms and legs were thick with defined muscle while a Celtic knot tattoo circled his upper left arm. The effect was intoxicating in an animalistic way.

Pushing aside thoughts of Duncan, she let her mind stray to Nicolas. With him, happiness was effortless. He was easy-going and carefree, his attitude on life infectious. He was day to Duncan’s night—both physically and emotionally—and he loved her, unconditionally. With Duncan…she sighed heavily. Love was complicated.

“One side has tae win, Caitriona,” Duncan said, interrupting her thoughts. “Either the Templars or the New World Order, but both canna exist together. Not here. Not in this world.”

“I know that I’m a symbol for you in this war; that you need for this to turn out right. But how much are you willing to sacrifice to ensure that happens?”

“Ye ken the answer to that, Leannan. As I also ken that ye willna let everything we’ve worked so hard tae achieve, be destroyed.”

She eyed him curiously, raising one perfectly shaped brow. She knew Duncan struggled not to give in to his passion. And now with her bond to Nicolas, and his oath to protect and free his people, she knew it was highly unlikely they would ever be together. Sure, they had shared a few steamy interludes, and they were connected in a way she had never felt with any other man, but the obstacles seemed insurmountable. Love, it seems, cannot always conquer all, she thought wryly. He nudged her shoulder and tucked an errant strand of hair under her stocking hat.

“I just don’t know where I stand with you,” she said, aware that he was waiting for her reply. “I suppose I never will.”

Duncan brushed the back of his fingers across Caitriona’s cheek. She sighed and leaned into his touch. As always, his touch elicited feelings in her that she couldn’t explain. While she couldn’t deny the physical attraction, the connection she felt—that she knew they both felt—went far deeper than a mere school-girl crush. She was connected to him in a way that she still didn’t fully understand herself. At first, she had hated him for bringing her to this time and his war, but the animosity she felt for him soon faded as she learned more about his world and the people he so valiantly sought to protect. Because of this, she also knew he would continue to use her as a pawn in his political game; a means to the end of a bloody and violent war.

He pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head again before tilting her face to his. His lips brushed hers causing butterflies to surface again and again. Her breath hitched as his touch once again brought goose flesh to her skin.

“I just want this war to be over,” she whispered against his ear. She decided that deflection was a much safer path.

Duncan stepped back from her and searched her eyes, a closed expression settling across his dark features. “Those in power dinna give it up so easily, Leannan. They never have and they never will.”

She sighed and snuggled back into his arms, not wanting to argue with him. She still didn’t know where she fit in his world, but she did know that she fit in his arms. And for now, perhaps that was enough.

But I was never quite sure what my dad meant about watching a man fish. After all, as a young girl, I found fishing to be utterly boring. I was certain he was trying to tell me that all fishermen were boring!

Flash forward several years (ok, maybe a few decades) and my husband and I do a lot of fishing; in fact, he’s the one that helped instill in me a deep love of the sport. And it’s during one of our great fishing adventures this summer that I pondered my dad’s advice. Watching a man (or woman!) fish tells you a lot about how they approach their work, relationships and life.

Know Your Fish

I have only one rule when I go fishing: If I’m not casting, I’m not fishing. Of course, it doesn’t help that I have the patience of a gnat. And let’s face it, I’m as bad as Dory in Finding Nemo when it comes to pretty distractions. The more colorful the lure, the more likely I am to want to fish with it. But I’ve also learned you can’t fish for trout using a grub, and flies are best left to fly fishermen.

The same is true when marketing your book. You need to have a deep understanding of who your target audience is before you go to market. If you’re a romance writer, like me, then you know you can’t market your epic sci-fi romance book in the latest issue of Field and Stream. You’ve got to know where your readers are, and even more importantly, you need to know what they are looking for when purchasing their next curl-up-on-the-sofa, feel-good romantic read. In other words, grub or fly?

I tend to go with what I’ve got. After all, every minute spent researching is another minute not on the water fishing. And if I’m not casting, I’m not fishing!

Karlene Cameron on her epic deep sea fishing adventure!

But there’s a lot to be said for my husband’s tenacity and careful research as it relates to marketing your novel; it’s important to scan the environment, research the market, set clear goals and know how your novel solves a reader’s pain point or delivers a story they can’t put down. Knowing who your competitors are, what restrictions there might be in your market, and a methodical, strategic approach to achieving your goals can prevent months of wasted effort on useless marketing tactics that don’t work.

Be patient

Any good fisherman will tell you, there are no shortcuts when it comes to fishing. The same is true in marketing. There simply are no shortcuts. Building a tribe of readers takes time, fortitude and constant work. Despite claims to the contrary, you cannot ‘farm’ your way to followers, or pay thousands for an expensive system that is ‘guaranteed’ to bring you sales. It takes work, patience, tenacity and grit. Lots and lots of grit.

Know When to Find a New Fishing Hole

Even in marketing there are times to call it quits. Continuing to try and force results will only lead to wasted time and wasted marketing dollars. Set clear goals and if you’re not achieving them, don’t be afraid to move on and try something else.

As a fisherman, this is something my husband has dialed in and perfected. He will patiently cast for several minutes in a particular fishing hole, but if he doesn’t get any bites, he will walk a few more feet downstream until he finds a new spot. Not me, I plop myself in my lawn chair, crack open a beer and generally go home empty handed.

Learn from the Pros

Whether you’re a novice or a pro fisherman, a first-time author or a seasoned vet, one thing’s for sure, there’s always something to be learned by paying attention to others in the field. Whether it’s a new way to tie a fishing knot, or a method of developing more believable villains, there’s always something to be learned.

What advice did your parents give you that has served you well in business or as writer? Drop me a line below in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Maybe I’ll even run into you at my favorite fishing hole!

]]>https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/08/15/what-fishing-taught-me-about-marketing-my-romance-novel/feed/22717Want to Sell Your Book to Hollywood? Create a LOGLINEhttps://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/07/31/want-to-sell-your-book-to-hollywood-create-a-logline/
https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/07/31/want-to-sell-your-book-to-hollywood-create-a-logline/#commentsMon, 31 Jul 2017 02:29:46 +0000http://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/07/31/want-to-sell-your-book-to-hollywood-create-a-logline/Such a great article that helps take a bit of the mystery out of how to go from printed book to the big screen! Anyone else thinking ‘movie rights?’
]]>https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/07/31/want-to-sell-your-book-to-hollywood-create-a-logline/feed/128704 Tips to Find Inspiration in the 9-to-5 Rat Race of Corporate Americahttps://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/07/23/4-tips-to-find-inspiration-in-the-9-to-5-rat-race-of-corporate-america/
https://karlenecameronbooks.com/2017/07/23/4-tips-to-find-inspiration-in-the-9-to-5-rat-race-of-corporate-america/#respondSun, 23 Jul 2017 13:39:55 +0000http://karlenecameronbooks.com/?p=2565Society is based on a 9-to-5 rigor I’ve never quite mastered. While the work day seems to come alive over morning coffee, boardroom meetings and teams of problem solvers gathering to solve the next big challenge, I’m still dusting away the cobwebs of sleep deprivation from a late night of writing.

Why can’t my muse ever pay me a visit during the day? Why does she always find me long after most people have gone to bed?

I’ve never been very good at keeping to a rigorous schedule. In fact, the thought of planning and making commitments for anything more than 15 minutes into the future puts me in an all-out panic.

And while I love working in marketing (my day job!), clocking in and clocking out of the corporate rat race doesn’t exactly provide the best inspiration. So how do you find inspiration in a world of never-ending meetings, endless process and uninspiring challenges?

If you’re a writer trapped in the wheels of a 9-5 rut, where creativity is sacrificed on the altar of climbing the corporate ladder, don’t despair. There’s a way to tap into that same inspiration you find late at night and bring it into your day job.

Take a break

Learn to take a break in-between a long stretch of working hours. Block time on your calendar so you won’t be over scheduled. Go for a walk, stand up and stretch, or just spend some time in quiet solitude staring at the walls. This will help your brain relax and stimulate your creativity.

If you’re a high-performing or high-functioning individual, it’s often hard to unplug your brain from the day-to-day challenges and problems you’re solving. This is why your best creativity comes at night when there is less stimulation. Taking a break from your work can help stir your creative juices and make you more effective at work place problem solving as well.

Say ‘no’ to meetings

Is your 9-5 day clogged with meeting after meeting? You’re not alone. In fact, corporate America is drowning in meetings. Most of them are pointless, attended by too many and very little is accomplished. In fact, the Rule of 7 states that any more than seven people in a meeting and you limit the effectiveness of what you can accomplish.

Why then, does corporate America insist on a day packed full of dreadful, uninspired meetings? While meetings have come to symbolize productivity, the onslaught and glut of meetings during the day can feel overwhelming and be anything but productive. And when you’re overwhelmed with a to-do list a mile long, you aren’t exactly at your most creative.

While it doesn’t appear that corporate America will be jumping off the meeting wagon just yet, you can limit the number of meetings you attend. Review the agenda. If your attendance isn’t critical to the agenda or needed for decision making, decline the meeting invite. Similarly, if a quick one-on-one (or email!) will resolve the issue, see if you can propose that instead. Be judicious in the number of standing meetings you accept. These can quickly fill up your calendar and after awhile, these meetings become so routine they lose what little effectiveness they may have once had. Just say no.

Freeing up your time during the day will help give you the space you need to add some creativity to your work day.

Ask for flexible working hours

Many companies are now offering flexible work hours or work-life blend options. While many of us strive for a work-life balance, creatives should strive more for a work-life blend. With technology so pervasive these days, it’s easier than ever to bring work home, take it on vacation, or invite it into our private time. Rather than trying to carve out home time vs. office time, strive to perform your more creative work when you are most creative. Use the other time slots to fill more mundane or routine tasks.

While this will take some getting used to (after all, we’ve been conditioned to seek a balance of work hours vs personal hours), the net result is that you will be able to take advantage of creative spurts as they come; whether it’s for work or your writing activities.

Have a sanctuary for creativity

Whether it’s a little corner at the coffee shop near your office, or a view of the river so serene and blue, you need space to bring your creative muse to life. Get a sanctuary where you only go to tap into your creativity. Once your mind associates going there with being creative, you will find you are more likely to tap into that creativity on a regular basis.

There you have it. My tried-and-true tips for carving out more creative space in a busy 9-to-5 world that seems to favor left brains over right.

Now that you have some ideas, get out of your rut, take the bull by the horns, and write. What will your creative muse inspire you to do today? Drop me a line in the comments below. I’d love to hear what works for you.